Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Brokenhearted: A Novel

While at a party one evening, Viv is chatting with a woman when she unexpectedly feels a pang of regret and a sense of loss. This notion of heartbreak strikes, seemingly out of nowhere. But it leaves her thinking about creating a festival for the brokenhearted. She mulls over the idea for a time, but when she meets the famous fortune teller Madame Sosostris, she knows her fate is sealed. Not only will she host the festival, but she will also invite Madame Sosostris to read the fortunes of the guests. Her husband, Alan, is less thrilled with the idea, but Viv manages to rope him and another couple, Beatrice and Stephen, into helping out. Naturally, things do not go to plan, and Viv will have to rely on Beatrice’s help more than she planned.

Ben Okri has written a fabulous magical tale about those burned by love and how life can change in unexpected ways when we are least expecting it. It’s both enchanting and eye-opening. This was my first time reading a work by this master, and I now realize I have been missing out on something special.